I wish to take this opportunity to extend greetings to all member administrations as we usher in the New Year. 2023 will be a pivotal year for the Caribbean Customs community as we work together to restore our position on the regional landscape particularly in law enforcement, contributing to border security, efficiency in trade matters and effective revenue protection and collection.

Our number priority is to complete the transition from CCLEC to the Caribbean Customs Organisation (CCO) by finalizing the ratification process for the new CCO Treaty within the respective member countries. This will be an immediate boost to the image of this organisation and will certainty help with the realignment of our strategic goals and determining a new direction based on membership needs and priorities.

Customs Administrations are essential to fulfill the mandates of their respective governments by working with other agencies on the national front. There is an increasing awareness of the urgency to cooperate on a regional basis through engagement with established institutions involved in trade and related matters. The success of our region is heavily dependent on engendering a cooperative ethos within a regional space pregnant with new opportunities and possibilities for collaboration.  The current environment of fierce competition for limited resources and overlapping agendas must be replaced by a recognition of the respective areas of competence and strengths and a genuine effort to work together by forging better relationships between customs administrations, the business communities and other regional partner organisations.

Congratulations to the Customs fraternity on this special day which has been designated as International Customs Day by the WCO. This year the chosen theme, “Scaling up Customs Digital Transformation by Embracing a Data Culture and Building a Data Ecosystem,” is very fitting as the pandemic has acted as a most powerful catalyst to force many countries to accept technology as a fundamental part of their business culture.
Digitization of all Customs procedures is the way forward and a strategy to exploit all data is critical to assist with decision making. Today every Customs administration has an automated system that facilitates online submission of cargo and passenger information and declaration processing. However, to maximize collected data usage, Customs must use technological solutions to enhance its effectiveness to ensure compliance. Therefore, Customs must quickly develop or adopt existing analytical tools and enhance departmental, human resource capacity to assist with the daily, functional usage of data in all border-related activities.

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the La Soufriere volcano is located at the northern side on the island.  After effusively erupting since December, 2020, it explosively erupted on 9^th April, 2021 and continues to erupt explosively emanating clouds of ash throughout the island. It also generated pyroclastic density currents along the north western and north eastern valleys of the island. Thankfully, there has been no confirmed loss of lives. Nevertheless, it has left the island gloomy and desolate in some areas.

As a consequence of the disaster, the water catchment area has been compromised, adversely affecting the limited water supply. Six (6) members of the Customs and Excise staff have been displaced from their homes and are accommodated either at guest houses or with family members and friends. Members of staff are coping well despite being emotionally distressed. The airspace has been closed but the seaports are open in particular for humanitarian aid and normal business.

We are extremely grateful to the Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council (CCLEC) and our fellow Customs and Excise Divisions and Customs Sports Association across the Caribbean as well as other regional bodies for the expressed love, kindness and support during this difficult period.

The Caribbean Customs  Law Enforcement Council laments the abduction July 10^th 2020 and subsequent slaying of Antiguan Customs and Excise Officer Nigel Christian.   The brazen and brutal manner of his abduction and killing has left the Antiguan, Caribbean and International Customs community in shock.

We unitedly condemn his slaying and are confident that the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and its National Security establishment will employ all professional means, leaving no stone unturned, in exposing the perpetrators, their motive for this act in order to bring those responsible to justice.

This shows the level of risks that Customs, Police and other public officers are exposed to in serving the state and the public.   Officers are encouraged to continue performing their duties fairly, with integrity, without favour or fear for the welfare of their nation.

We express our deepest condolences and pray for the consolation of his immediate family, relatives and Customs colleagues.